Thursday, December 28, 2006

It's been a long time since I've blogged here. I thank Always on Watch for keeping the Northern Virginiastan blog current.

I've embarked on a graduate program in addition to my regular 9-to-5 job, so I have little time to blog. I'm using this opportunity to wish our friends and supporters a Happy, Peaceful, and Prosperous New Year 2007! Be glad that we're not counting years from the Hijrah!

Improve Your Life in 2007

The cover story on U.S. News and World Report's December 25, 2006 issue is "50 Ways to Improve Your Life in 2007." Under "Community," one of the things that you can do is to "Learn About Islam" (!) Recommended sources include Karen Armstrong, the ex-nun who'd had us all donning sackcloth and ashes to atone for our prejudice against Islam (and in case you don't recognize it, I'm being sarcastic). It's a bit surprising, given Editor-in-Chief Mort Zukerman's strong stance against Islamic terrorism.

Here are my suggestions to learn about Islam and teach others:

Donate books on Islam to libraries - we have sample titles listed in our library, at right. I am particularly partial to Robert Spencer of Jihad Watch as a trustworthy source. Donate to school and church libraries as well as public libraries.

Give books on Islam to family and friends. If you've brought up Islam and terrorism in conversation, this is an appropriate way to follow up. Etiquette, however, suggests that it wouldn't be appropriate to present these books as gifts for birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, or other such festive occasions.

Send books on Islam to public officials and decision makers. I believe that it was Pedestrian Infidel who noted that $60 to put books into the hands of your U.S. Senators and representative is a small, but worthwhile, investment.

Many elected officials have staff that track media for briefings. Identify blogs with a high number of visitors such as Little Green Footballs or Michelle Malkin. Don't hesitate to recommend Northern Virginiastan to our representatives in Virginia and Maryland so that they can get a pulse on what their constituents are thinking. And I'm still looking forward to the day that the WaPo notes Northern Virginiastan :-)

I oppose banning books (or defacing property), but I support truth-in-labeling. Always on Watch has noted books supplied by CAIR's "Library Project" to the Fairfax County Public Library system - prepare information about CAIR's links to terrorism to insert into these books. Identify sources of information other than CAIR.

Provide links to anti-Islamic sites in your E-mail signature.

Give books on Islam to your minister or rabbi. Mainline Protestant denominations, in particular, have been notorious in their support of Muslim causes.

Please add to this list with additional ways to learn about Islam and to teach others.

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Speaking in Dearborn, Mich., late Sunday night, the first Muslim elected to Congress told a cheering crowd of Muslims they should remain steadfast in their faith and push for justice.

"You can't back down, you can't chicken out, you can't be afraid, you got to have faith in Allah, and you got to stand up and be a real Muslim," Detroit native Keith Ellison said to loud applause.

"Allahu akbar" — God is great — was the reply of many in the crowd....

Ellison said in Dearborn that Muslims can help teach America about justice and equal protection, suggesting that Muslim activists may be part of God's plan. He spoke at the annual convention of two Muslim groups, the Muslim American Society and the Islamic Circle of North America....

Those who found fault with policital activism from evangelical Christians, who often mention "God's plan," remain noticeably silent when it comes to criticizing Ellison's remarks.

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Just in time for the Hajj, which begins on December 29, CAIR, now the legal representative of five of the six praying imams and pursuing an out-of-court settlement, is stirring the pot:

American Muslims making a religious pilgrimage to Mecca are being encouraged to file civil rights complaints if they feel discriminated against by airlines.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), citing what it called the "airport profiling" of six imams removed from a recent flight, yesterday said Muslims traveling this month to the holy site in Saudi Arabia need to be aware of their rights.

"Given the increase in the number of complaints CAIR has received alleging airport profiling of American Muslims, we believe it is important that all those taking part in this year's hajj be aware of their legal and civil rights," said Ibrahim Hooper, CAIR spokesman.

Apparently CAIR has distributed materials specifically delineating how to promote this flying-while-Muslim agenda:

A guide issued by CAIR advises Muslims that "as an airline passenger, you are entitled to courteous, respectful and non-stigmatizing treatment by airline and security personnel."

"You have the right to complain about treatment that you believe is discriminatory," the guide says.

Those treated in a discriminatory manner are advised by CAIR to "ask for the names and ID numbers of all persons involved in the incident. Be sure to write this information down."

On December 9, the Maryland and Virginia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MD/VA), in cooperation with the D.C. Coordinating Council of Muslim Organizations (DC-CCMO) and the Fairfax Institute, will hold its first annual Imams' media relations conference in Herndon, Va.

The one-day conference is designed to teach Imams, community leaders and activists how to interact effectively with media professionals. Sessions will cover basic media relations skills.

"Basic media relations skills"? And something else, too, including the distribution of materials as to how to intimidate the airlines from following proper security-procedures? According to one airline official,

"You do wonder what the ultimate aim is here [with regard to the six praying imams and CAIR's involvement]; to eliminate a discriminatory practice that does not exist, or is there some other agenda afoot."

The above-cited article in the Washington Times also contains the following with regard to CAIR's possible agenda:

Pilots and air marshals called the incident a "PC probe" to intimidate passengers and crew from reporting suspicious behavior by Muslim passengers and are fearful the incident will set off a domino effect of lawsuits.

Debra Burlingame, whose brother was the pilot of American Airlines Flight 77 that crashed into the Pentagon on September 11, thinks this is a ploy to extort money from the airlines.

"I think CAIR is soliciting complaints, and if they don't get it, they will make it up," said Miss Burlingame, who is also a director for the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation.

Although CAIR likes to promote itself as representative of all or of the majority of American Muslims, such is not the case:

M. Zuhdi Jasser, a Phoenix physician and chairman of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy (AIFD), said the announcement by CAIR "continues the tired stoking of the flames of victimization."

"They are unfortunately exploiting, for purely political reasons, what should be a sacred and purely spiritual story of our faith's annual holy pilgrimage to Mecca," Dr. Jasser said.

"We need new leadership and organizations which use their passions and the bandwidth of the media to lead the ideological fight against radical and political Islam rather than this tired pre-emption of supposed discrimination."

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

(LOS ANGELES, 12/04/2006) - A prominent national education and action group today called for the support of a presidential appointee to the United States Holocaust Memorial Council after accusations of intolerance by a radical Islamist organization.

The United American Committee (UAC) urged that talk show host and columnist Dennis Prager be supported by all Americans for his recent appointment to the museum's council.

Controversy arose when the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), viewed as a radical Islamic organization by many, objected to a recent syndicated column by Prager in which he wrote that Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, should be prevented from taking his oath of office using the Koran.

"This goes beyond politics, regardless of one's political views and opinions of Dennis Prager we must support him as he endures a relentless smear campaign by this radical Islamist group. We must make a stand for freedom of speech in the face of the Islamists who would attempt to destroy our freedoms and who try to silence those who oppose them.” remarks UAC Chairman Jesse Petrilla.

In a letter to the United States Holocaust Memorial Council Chairman Fred S. Zeidman, the United American Committee wrote:

"We support Mr. Prager for courageously standing up to the threat of radical Islam that America is facing today. We can not allow radical groups to work to silence American journalists and commentators, and must continue to uphold the 1st Amendment and protect the freedoms that this nation holds dear. We thank you for having him on your council."

The United American Committee is a leading educational group dedicated to awakening the nation to the threats of radical Islam and works to educate Americans on the nature of Islamic extremism. Its mission is to fight the ideological aspects of the War on Terror to counter elements of radical Islam in America.

Conservative talk-show host Michael Graham was suspended without pay today by ABC Disney after threats from the Council for American-Islamic Relations over his on-air comments regarding terrorism and Islam.

Despite repeated statements of support for Graham's free-speech rights by management at 630 WMAL in Washington, D.C. ----- the ABC-owned radio station where Graham works as mid-morning host ---- he was summarily suspended pending an "investigation."

Graham has been harshly criticized by CAIR for public comments linking the current theology and structure of Islam to the repeated acts of terror in its name. CAIR sent mass e-mails to its members urging them to contact ABC and demand the company to punish Graham for his remarks.

The statements at the heart of the controversy reflect Graham's opinion that, as he puts it, "Because of the mix of Islamic theology that --- rightly or wrongly --- is interpreted to promote violence, added to an organizational structure that allows violent radicals to operate openly in Islam's name with impunity, Islam has, sadly, become a terrorist organization. It pains me to say it. But the good news is it doesn't have to stay this way, if the vast majority of Muslims who don't support terror will step forward and re-claim their religion."

Ironically, CAIR announced today that a group of US Muslim scholars were issuing a fatwa against terrorism. According to Ibrahim Hooper of CAIR, the fatwa was issued in part due to criticism from talk radio hosts like Michael Graham.

"Nearly four years after the World Trade Center fell, CAIR is participating in a blanket denunciation of terrorism, and my attitude is "better late than never." If our conversation on 630 WMAL helped CAIR finally take this long-needed step, then we've done something good for the future of Islam," Graham said....

In contrast to CAIR's reaction to Michael Graham's comments and to his explanation thereof, CAIR is pleased with the results of Jerry Klein's spoof:

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 11/27/06) - A parody of anti-Muslim bigotry on a Washington, D.C., radio station drew support for treating American Muslims in a manner similar to how the Jewish community was targeted in Nazi Germany.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said today that the reaction to the parody is a "wake-up call" for religious and political leaders who remain silent on the issue of growing Islamophobia in America....

The story about Jerry Klein's spoof has elicited a lot of attention, according to Klein's own statement on November 28:

I've been overwhelmed by the response to Sunday's show (click ... if you'd like to hear a recording). Besides being interviewed by the Reuters news service, and having both NBC4 and WUSA TV9 here in Washington feature this story prominently on Monday night's newscasts, I've heard that other talk show hosts and bloggers have now joined the conversation. By early Tuesday, I've stopped counting the emails you've sent me from all over the world in response to my contention that as Americans, we need to be careful that we don't allow our concerns over terrorism to push us over the line towards discrimination against all Muslims, and in fact all Arabs, whether Muslim, Christian, or any other faith. Thank you for your words of support. I'll try to respond to everyone -- but it's going to take a little time.

FYI...Jerry Klein is sort of odd-man-out at WMAL Radio, which also presents programs from Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh. The WMAL Radio web site refers to Jerry Klein as "WMAL's Favorite (Pet) Liberal?" The following is his biographical sketch from the station's web site:

Jerry Klein is 630 WMAL’s Senior Producer, and Producer for The Chris Core Show. He was born in Philadelphia, but grew up and spent most of his life in Charlotte, NC, where he was an award-winning talk-radio host, concert producer, weekly columnist, record store owner, the program director for a non-profit center for community and culture, and a psychological counselor. (Jerry says, "That’s code for I’ve led a very full and colorful life.")

He moved to the Washington area a little more than five years ago to finally marry the love of his life. Jerry has two sons, Josh and Ben, and relies on his cat, Yogi, for spiritual guidance - though, he says, "All assistance in these matters is gratefully accepted!"

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Dozens of Pakistani immigrants who came to the United States posing as religious workers were arrested Wednesday, authorities said, as Homeland Security agents tried to close a commonly exploited avenue for illegal immigration.

Immigrants who were supposed to be teaching or conducting religious ceremonies were arrested across the East Coast, where authorities said many worked as gas station attendants, taxi drivers, landscapers and factory workers.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have been scrutinizing the religious worker visa program, which a 2005 review found was rife with problems. Homeland Security officials found fraud in one of every three religious visas they reviewed....

Arrests were made in Connecticut, Georgia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington, D.C....

Pakistan--a hotbed of Wahhabist madrassahs. How long before a jihadist comes to America via visa fraud?

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Al Jazeera broadcasts right here in the United States, 24/7, with Dave Marash as the Washington-based anchor. From the November 15, 2006 Washington Post's "Al Jazeera's U.S. Face":

...In February, [Dave] Marash, a lifelong broadcast newsman, became the Washington-based anchor of Al Jazeera English (AJE), the English-language spinoff of the Arabic TV news network. When AJE begins its first globe-spanning broadcast today, Marash will be its most prominent American face.

Embedded in "why," however, are two other questions: How can an American work for an operation affiliated with al-Jazeera, which achieved notoriety -- and to some, infamy -- by airing video communiques from Osama bin Laden, images of dead American soldiers and routine denunciations of the United States? Moreover, how could Marash, who is Jewish, work for an organization that has provided a platform for Holocaust denial and hate speech against Israel, Zionism and Judaism?

But Marash -- affable, burly and possessed of gloriously resonant voice -- seems almost delighted to be on the defensive. His short, glib answer: He was out of a job.

AJE came calling shortly after Marash was let go by ABC News almost a year ago. Marash, 64, had spent a decade and a half as a globe-trotting reporter for "Nightline" and as a sometime substitute host for Ted Koppel (before that, Marash was an anchor at Washington's Channel 4)....

Marash says...that al-Jazeera is little understood, and frequently misunderstood, in the West....

Al-Jazeera, he says, "has consistently offered a window of opportunity for Israel and Israeli citizens to speak to the Arab world. There is no contradiction between Judaism and al-Jazeera. As a Jew, I have always wished for and worked toward peace and civility in the Palestinian territories and Israel."...

Cliff Kincaid of Accuracy in Media has a different take and points out the following:

Al-Jazeera journalist Tayseer Allouni last year was convicted in Spain of collaborating with al-Qaeda; and al-Jazeera cameraman Sami al-Hajj was arrested by U.S. forces in Afghanistan in 2001 and has been held at Guantanamo Bay. (Al-Jazeera says the two men are innocent.)

"We haven't seen any evidence that tells us that [AJE] will be significantly different than al-Jazeera in Arabic," Kincaid says. "It's sponsored by the same people, paid for by the same people and has the same editorial philosophy."

Kincaid all but says Marash is a dupe: "The emir has plenty of Arab oil dollars to buy anyone he wants. They need Western media faces to give them credibility."

Sunday, November 12, 2006

At the end of Keith Ellison's "God-is-good-y'all" speech, listen for the cries of "Allahu Akbar!" But, of course, Mr. Ellison's campaign had nothing to do with religion, right? And he reprimanded those chanters, right?

Note: Photo from CAIR's announcement of the November 18, 2006 annual banquet, at which Keith Ellison will be the keynote speaker.

Sunday, November 05, 2006

The first scientific snapshot of American Muslim voters depicts a well- educated, family oriented group that is younger than the general population and favors active engagement in US society.

A survey released last week shows 62 percent have a bachelor's degree or higher (compared with 30 percent for the US in general), including 48 percent of Muslim women. Some 78 percent are married, and 43 percent have a household income of $50,000 or more.

In political orientation, 42 percent call themselves Democrats, 17 percent say they are Republican, and 28 percent do not belong to a party. Almost 90 percent vote regularly.

On the issues, they rank education as most important (25 percent), followed by civil liberties (24 percent) - a prime concern since 9/11. Next come the conflicts in the Palestinian territories and Lebanon (20 percent) and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (18 percent).

As for religious practice, 31 percent attend mosque weekly, while 27 percent say they seldom or never attend. A majority (54 percent) say they are not very involved or not at all involved in mosque activity aside from attendance at formal prayers.

A large majority (84 percent) believe Muslims should emphasize shared values with Christians and Jews, and 77 percent say they worship the same God. Yet 55 percent are afraid the war on terror has become a war on Islam.

Friday, November 03, 2006

They are the most vital questions of our time: How deadly is the Islamic terror threat to the world and especially to the United States? Do terrorists really want to destroy our economy, our civilization, our way of life or is this just an exaggeration?

A frightening new documentary by filmmaker Wayne Kopping seeks to answer those questions. Kopping examined reels of Islamic news footage, interviewed former terrorists and obtained undercover footage from the lairs of the terrorists and jihadists.

What he found, is something FOX News believes every American should know.

Friday, October 27, 2006

In CAIR And Tax-Exempt Status, I questioned whether or not CAIR has violated its tax-emempt status by the organization's support of candidate Keith Ellison.

Now comes this October 27, 2006 article in FrontPageMagazine. Excerpt:

"...[F]or officials of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) – the most visible group claiming to represent Muslims in America – their political loyalties appear to lean in one particular political direction. An extensive review of political contributions by CAIR officials, employees and board members on the local, state and national level reveals that CAIR is betting almost exclusively on Democrats to represent them politically on Capitol Hill during the upcoming 110th Congress....

"[A]t present CAIR officials are content to liberally spread their campaign contributions to Democrats, apparently on the gamble that they will take one, if not both, chambers of Congress....With Democrats in control, CAIR is betting that they will be better represented on Capitol Hill in their self-proclaimed goal of eventual Islamic domination for America. Maybe that is something that citizens should keep in mind on November 7th as they go to the polls and vote."

Among the states mentioned in the article is Virginia. Read the entire article here.

Friday, October 20, 2006

According to this October 19, 2006 article, reproduced here in its entirety:

Richmond - Muslims in Virginia are poised to play a sizable role in next month’s election, with nearly 60,000 registered Muslim voters in the state, according to a local political organization.

Mukit Hossain, president of the Virginia Muslim Political Action Committee, said his group is working to mobilize voters to get out and vote Democratic. In a Senate race as tight as the one between Democrat Jim Webb and incumbent Republican George Allen, 60,000 voters can be the difference between a win and a loss.

Population estimates show Virginia’s Muslim population at about 300,000. Most reside in Northern Virginia.

“I think we can make sizeable impacts,” Hossain said. “I think we made a difference in the gubernatorial race” between Tim Kaine and Jerry Kilgore. The group supported Kaine, the winner of the race by just more than 113,000 votes.

Hossain said the group does not have a political affiliation and attempts to be nonpartisan. He said the PAC is endorsing Webb and the Democratic House candidates in Northern Virginia based on their views on civil liberties, human rights, immigration, foreign policy, health care and education.

One issue especially important to the group was local enforcement of federal immigration laws. The Herndon Town Council’s decision to train local police to enforce these laws was especially troubling, Hossain said.

“That’s the sort of mechanism we believe would be extremely dangerous for the Muslim community,” he said. “You are handing over a degree of power that is not necessarily warranted and can be abused, especially given the skimpy training [Herndon police] are going to receive.”

The picture caption reads as follows:

(Brig Cabe/Examiner)The Mustafa Center is a Muslin mosque near the intersection of Braddock and Backlick roads in Annandale.

Here at Northern Virginiastan, I have previously blogged about Mukit Hossain. See THIS and THIS.

Since the early 80's, the terrorist organization Hamas has had a presence within the United States. Many groups connected to Hamas have come and gone. They include: the United Association for Studies and Research (UASR), the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development (HLF), the Global Relief Foundation (GRF) and KindHearts.

Another organization, the Islamic Association for Palestine (IAP) was shut down in 2005, after it was found liable for the murder of an American boy who was killed during a Hamas terror operation in Israel. Eleven years prior to its closure, three leaders from the IAP created the Council on American-Islamic Relations or CAIR.

CAIR Watch, a project of Americans Against Hate, was founded with the mission to expose the extremist nature and terrorist ties of CAIR, in hopes that it will be shut down, just as the others were before it. You can help in this endeavor. We need you to be our eyes and ears in your area. Events, publications, statements, and all else concerning the aforementioned are of grave importance to us.

Is there an article, blog entry or CAIR quote that we need to place on our site? Do you know of someone connected to the group that we should create a new profile for? We are open to your suggestions.

If you would like to assist us and become a CAIR Watcher, feel free to send an e-mail to us at:cairwatchers@americansagainsthate.org

Mr. Kaufman, chairman of Americans Against Hate, is scheduled to speak at the America's Truth Forum Symposium Understanding the Threat of Radical Islam Terrorism, to be held on November 10-11 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Details are HERE.

Friday, October 13, 2006

For some time, America’s Truth Forum has been recognized for being on the very cutting edge of the struggle to expose Radical Islam’s menacing threat to our homeland. In keeping with expectations, we’ve encountered numerous obstacles along the way. Most challenging has been the mainstream media’s imposition of virtually impenetrable roadblocks – obstacles implemented to prevent us from reaching out to fellow citizens who share our concerns for national security and the safety of future generations. Fortunately, we’ve discovered alternative means to circumvent those barriers.

In the process, we also learned how to effectively deal with detractors and maneuver in an environment best described as “PC gone wild.”

Bar none, the greatest challenge currently facing us, and placing our nation in harm’s way, is apathy. According to Webster’s dictionary, “apathy” is best defined as a lack of concern or “indifference”.

Sustained periods of uncertainly, especially when a nation is at war, should give rise to greater concern amongst the populace. We are currently engaged in a struggle for our very existence yet, astoundingly, few seem to take note or even care. This is true in nearly every case except, of course, for our Islamist enemies who are poised to benefit from our indifference.

The struggle against Islamofascism is clearly being lost on the home front. Please consider the following:

§ There are over 1.1 billion Muslims worldwide. According to conservative estimates, at least 10% or 110 million are radicalized and prone to violence. Of equal concern, these jihadis have rallied the support of another 40% or 400 million. In summary, that’s some 500 million people who are sworn and committed to our death and destruction.

§ Islamic religious leaders granted Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda the right to kill up to 10 million Americans. Most experts agree that plans are in the works for catastrophic attacks involving weapons of mass destruction. Yet, our political correct policies prohibit racial profiling and other effective measures that must be employed by law enforcement agencies to protect the homeland.

§ Over 90% of American Mosques are Saudi funded and tainted by Wahabbi doctrine. Hate-inspired anti-American messages and literature are shared with their hungry audiences on our own soil.

§ American institutions of higher learning like Harvard, Georgetown and many others have received multi-million dollar gifts from Saudi Arabian dignitaries – funds being used to purchase influence and capture the minds of our youth.

§ On an annual basis, tens of thousands of prisoners are being converted to Islam in our penal institutions. Upon release, many of these same felons are recruited into a standing army awaiting marching orders.

§ Muslim Students Associations (MSA’s), Islamic centers and Mosques across America and Canada sponsor paintball outings and promote survival skills. Paintball, in itself, may be a harmless sport but one must consider ulterior motives since the MSA’s also benefit from Saudi funding. The National MSA’s online publication promotes firearms training with the following quote that they attribute to Mohammed, “Power is shooting, power is shooting, power is shooting”. They also recommend Muslim students that paintball as an excellent way to learn about combat. This certainly begs the question as to why college-based religious organizations would advocate sharpening combat skills.

§ Despite its dark history and terrorist ties, CAIR continues to exert tremendous influence in Washington. Their propaganda machine is supported by multi-million dollar donations from Saudi Arabia.

§ In the words of CAIR’s Chairman, Omar Ahmad, “Islam isn’t in America to be equal to any other faith, but to be dominant. The Koran should be the highest authority in America, and Islam the only accepted religion on earth”.

§ CAIR continue to host regional conferences for thousands of Muslims nationwide. Keynote Speakers include the likes of Siraj Wahhaj. According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, Wahhaj is the un-indicted co-conspirator of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.

§ Our enemies are forthright when voicing their intensions with regard to establishing a caliphate and delivering the entire world to Allah. We are the ones who refuse to accept the fact that they mean business and continue to live in a state of denial.

§ Over 6300 Muslim-inspired terrorist attacks have taken place worldwide since 9/11 – begging the question as to why our fearless leaders in Washington continue to refer to Islam as a religion of peace.

The future of America is in peril and we can’t afford to rest in the hands of a scant few who chose to stand defiantly in the face of evil.

Silent are the voices of those patriots who stand proud while paying homage to our nation’s fallen servicemen on Memorial Day.

Absent are the statesmen of a by-gone era when men served their nation with dignity and upheld their oaths to preserve the constitution.

We are currently engaged in fighting a war for our very survival against a clever, cunning and deceptive enemy – an enemy that is skilled in using the rights guaranteed by our own Constitution against us.

What future awaits upcoming generations - meaning your children? Who will be there to protect them from this evil, if we fail to confront it now in earnest? The time has come for all concerned Americans to either rise up and take a stand or acquiesce and sink further into a state of apathy. A lack of action, at this point, will only seal the fate of our heirs. We owe it to our founding fathers who did better than condemn us to making a choice between death, conversion and enslavement. The time has come for those of us who value life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness to unite, in a common front, and be heard.

“In this era of violent intimidation, it is crucial for the continued life of our free society that we speak out, and do so fearlessly.”

Show your concern for the future of our great nation. Don’t abandon those who are engaged in a daily struggle, both here and abroad, to preserve the American way of life.

America’s Truth Forum needs your financial support to continue to fight on your behalf. This struggle has nothing to do with partisan politics, instead it has everything to do with survival. Above all, please make the effort to attend the symposium this November 10th & 11th in Las Vegas, Nevada, and spread the word to other concerned Americans.

These events are designed to do nothing more than provide a forum for the dissemination of the truth – facts provided by internationally recognized counterterrorism experts that could prove potentially life saving for you and your family. There will be no better opportunity to engage the experts in dialogue.

Monday, October 09, 2006

Until 9/11, I did not follow events in the Middle East. But since that day, when the daily paper arrives, I first read "World News," with focus upon recent developments in the Middle East. Many times, I have a feeling of deja vu, harkening back to the time when all I did was glance at similar headlines in the world section of the newspaper and of news magazines. Now, of course, I read entire articles instead of merely skimming over the headlines.

On the inside of the back page of the first section of the Sunday, October 8, 2006 edition of the Washington Post appeared the headline "Rice's Tour of Mideast Yields Little Progress on Key Issues." Excerpt from the article:

"LONDON, Oct. 7 -- It was a tough week for Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in the Middle East. On four issues pivotal to the future of the world's most volatile region, U.S. diplomatic efforts made no visible progress or came up against unexpected resistance during her five-day tour, according to Arab and Israeli officials and analysts.

"On Iraq, Arab-Israeli peace, democracy promotion and fostering a so-called moderate bloc of Arab states to stand together against militancy, Rice pressed at each of six stops for new energy or more decisive action. Many of the Arab leaders she met share U.S. fears about the region's future, but there is a growing divide even with Washington's closest allies over what needs to be done, at what pace, in what order and by whom, according to Arab officials interviewed at each stop....

"The United States and the Arab world are now engaged in a chicken-and-egg argument over what happens next. Arab governments -- including Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and five oil-rich Persian Gulf sheikdoms -- all appealed to Rice to revive U.S. leadership to break deadlocks on several fronts because they have so far been unable to do it alone, Arab officials said. But Rice basically told governments at each stop that they must first take difficult steps to create conditions more conducive to greater U.S. involvement, U.S. officials said....

"The greatest pressure put on Rice at every stop was to do something to jump-start the moribund Arab-Israeli peace process, which Arab leaders almost unanimously described as the key to addressing other flash points as well. Yet Rice found herself negotiating some of the same issues she was engaged in last November...

"Senior Arab officials and analysts also said U.S. efforts to promote democracy and foster an anti-militant bloc were contradictory, because the moderates the United States is trying to rally against radical Islamic groups are some of region's most autocratic governments...."

Most of the above seems so familiar to me. Over and over again, hopes for peace have come to naught or have been dashed shortly after much lauded peace accords. Do we really believe that Muslim resistance to the path to peace is "unexpected," and are we actually shocked when diplomatic overtures result in "no visible progress"? And should that impasse continue to be laid at the feet of the United States or of Israel?

"So before I was nine I had learned the basic canon of Arab life. It was me against my brother; me and my brother against our father; my father against my cousins and the clan; the clan against the tribe; and the tribe against the world. And all of us against the infidel."

Saturday, September 30, 2006

Item from the Saturday, September 30, 2006 edition of the Washington Post:

Muslim-Oriented TV Expands Into Six States

"Seeking to improve the image of Muslims in the United States, an English-language Muslim-oriented TV station has extended its availability into parts of Virginia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Texas, Florida and New York.

"Bridges TV, which was founded by Mo Hassan, a Muslim, is now included in the basic lineup for users of Verizon's fiber-optic network in those six states, and it hopes to expand further.

"At a news conference announcing the move, Madhi Bray, the executive director of the Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation, said the pope's recent controversial remarks about Islam highlighted the need for such programming.

"'Bridges TV is critically important to the American public because it builds bridges," Bray said. 'If there's anything we've seen with the recent episode with the pope and how there's a misconception about the faith traditions of other people . . . we need bridges.'

"The expansion increases Bridges TV's potential audience from fewer than 10,000 homes to nearly 2 million, according to Hassan, the station's chief executive. Previously, Bridges TV, which was launched in 2004, was available to paid subscribers only through Comcast Cable as well as some smaller cable systems.

"Hassan said Bridges TV is a good business venture for cable stations because of the growing number of Muslims and Islam's growing profile in the United States."

We at Northern Virginiastan have previously posted about Mahdi Bray, who championed Omar Abu Ali, Abdurrahman Alamoudi, and Ali Al-Timimi--all three of whom are now serving time in the penitentiary for terrorism-related activities. HERE is an index to three of our previous articles about Mahdi Bray.

Sunday, September 17, 2006

The fifth anniversary of 9/11 has come and gone. While there were many ad hoc events sponsored by various groups, there was nothing that brought our nation together to mourn the victims and reflect on the attacks. I was shocked that radio stations continued programming as usual during those fateful.

For future commemorations, I would like to have a minute of silence for all to sit aside their activities to reflect on the attack on our country and its citizens at the each time one of the 9/11 flights hit. This moment of silence would be invoked over PA systems in our schools, offices, etc., through church bells, over the radio, over the Internet, and more.

How could we get a movement started for a solemn national commemoration of this kind?

Monday, September 11, 2006

This photo shows the face of Edna L. Stevens, who perished on 9/11 at the Pentagon. Before you scroll down for details about her, please take a moment to look at her beautiful face. Take a good, long look!

Edna L. Stephens, 53, liked to cook, bowl and sing in the choir at Varick Memorial AME Zion Church in Northeast Washington. With 34 years at the Pentagon, the civilian budget analyst for the Army looked forward to retiring next year and moving back to her home town, Gainesville, Ga.

And her family, including her father, son and most of her eight brothers and sisters, anticipated the day she would return to the Atlanta suburb.

"Whenever she came home, it was always a happy time," said her sister, Eunice Holcomb, from Stephens's Capitol Heights home. "When she left, we didn't stop laughing."

Stephens was on the Department of Defense list of those unaccounted for after the attack at the Pentagon.

Soon after graduating from high school, Stephens moved to the Washington area and began her job at the Pentagon. About three years ago, she thought about retiring, but instead, Stephens bought her first home and pushed off thoughts of retirement to the future.

Holcomb, 45, said she'll miss confiding in Stephens, the second-oldest of the nine siblings, who was like a "family guidance counselor."

"I won't see her and listen to her and talk to her about things that I can't decide on," Holcomb said. "She was a focal point of guidance for us all. Even though she was far away, we always talked to her."

Stephens's only child, Torrass Allen, a Gainesville High School music teacher, said that while his mother was working at the Pentagon, she attended the University of the District of Columbia.

"She was serious a lot of the time," said Allen, 33. "But she knew how to have fun. She would say what was on her mind. She liked to play cards and be with her friends."

And Stephens liked to smile.

"Right now, I think the main thing I'll miss is her smile not being here anymore," Holcomb said. "One of her friends gave me some consolation when she saw me and said, 'There's her smile.' No one had ever said that to me before."

Please take time to observe a moment of silence for Edna L. Stevens, our fellow American.

Edna was a Christian. Therefore, she and I share the common bond of the hope of eternal life, even though we never met. I hereby pay tribute to Edna by quoting "Death Be Not Proud," by John Donne (emphases mine in the last two lines):

Death be not proud, though some have called theeMighty and dreadful, for, thou art not so,For, those, whom thou think'st, thou dost overthrow,Die not, poor death, nor yet canst thou kill me.From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,Much pleasure, then from thee, much more must flow,And soonest our best men with thee do go,Rest of their bones, and souls delivery.Thou art slave to Fate, Chance, kings, and desperate men,And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,And poppy, or charms can make us sleep as well,And better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then;One short sleep past, we wake eternally,And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die.

Edna, you and I are sisters in Christ. I'll see on the other side of the river! Until that time, I will never forget you.

[For a list of other blogs participating in this 9/11 tribute by 2,996 bloggers, CLICK HEREand read more tributes]

Friday, September 01, 2006

I found the following at GM Roper's blog and am shamelessly copying the information here:

"'September 11, 2006 will mark the 5-year anniversary of the attacks that killed 2,996 innocent people on American soil....

"'A few months ago I started wondering what, if anything, I would write in my blog that day. A remembrance? A tribute? Anything I came up with seemed shallow, cliché, not enough.

"'I’d like 2,995 blogging volunteers to help me with a tribute to the victims of 9/11. If you’d like to participate, you’ll be assigned the name of someone who was murdered on September 11, 2001. Then on September 11, 2006 you’ll post your own tribute to that person. It can be anything you want it to be: a photo tribute, an essay, a remembrance, a poem…it’s up to you. Then link back to a page I will create which will give the names of all 2,996 victims and links to the blogs that will remember them that day.

"'But, and this is critical, I don’t want any of us to remember the murderers. Do not refer to the terrorists. Or their organization. Or their goals. Let them fade into nothing. Let them be forgotten. Remember those worth remembering.'"

Here is how to sign up:

"If you want to participate, signups are being accepted through comments on either of two blogs: D.C. Roe or 2996. You can also sign up by email to dcroe05-at-yahoo-dot-com. D.C. is making the assignments; although, if you have a name you'd really like to honor, it probably wouldn't hurt to request it. A list of names and participants assigned so far is available here."

Monday, August 21, 2006

On August 20, 2006, Brian Lamb conducted a lengthy interview of Robert Spencer. The emphasis of the interview is the documentary film Islam: What the West Needs to Know. My review of the movie is HERE.The C-Span broadcast contains clips from the film.

[Hat-tip to Mike's America for letting me know about the C-Span interview]

Addendum: According to commenter EyesAllAround, CAIR is expressing disapproval to C-Span for airing the interview with Robert Spencer. You can express your support of C-Span's interviewing Robert Spencer by contacting C-Span at this email address: viewer@c-span.org

Saturday, August 19, 2006

The following letter appeared in the Friday, August 18, 2006 Washington Post:

"When he commented on the arrest of a handful of British Muslims accused of plotting to blow up U.S.-bound civilian aircraft ["Plot to Bomb U.S.-Bound Jets Is Foiled; Britain Arrests 24 Suspected Conspirators," front page, Aug. 11], President Bush said the case was "a stark reminder that this nation is at war with Islamic fascists." The president's use of that term is misleading, unfortunate and unacceptable.

"We, as peaceful and justice-loving Muslims, deeply resent the implication that 'fascism' is an integral part of our faith tradition, or that it is condoned by those of us who practice the religion of Islam. In fact, there is absolutely no evidence that supports the legitimacy of any form of state-sponsored violence and injustice, either in our revealed text, the holy Koran, or in the traditions of Islam.

"Islam is constantly referred to by the news media as the theological basis for terrorism and, now, fascism.

"But the same media never associated the Catholic faith as a root cause of Italian fascism under Benito Mussolini in the 1930s, or the Jewish faith as a religious motivation for the violent, anti-Palestinian conduct of many Israeli settlers in the West Bank and Gaza. Islam, alone among the three major Abrahamic faiths, has been tarred with the brush of legitimized extremism and violence in the name of God. This is an association that has no basis in our faith, and it is an association that we vigorously reject.

ESAM OMEISH

President

Muslim American Society

Falls Church

The following should be taken into consideration:

"....Kill those who join other gods with Allah wherever you find them; besiege them, seize them, lay in wait for them with every kind of ambush...."(Sura 9:5).

"When you encounter the unbelievers, strike off their heads, until ye have made a great slaughter among them...."(Sura 47:4).

"....Make war upon such of those to whom the Scriptures have been given as believe not in Allah, or in the Last Day, and who forbid not what Allah and His Apostle have forbidden....until they pay tribute..." (Sura 9:29).

"Say to the infidels: If they desist, what is now past shall be forgiven them; but if they return, they have already before them the doom of the ancients! Fight then against them till strife be at an end, and the religion be all of it Allah's." (Sura 8:39).

"Proclaim a grievious penalty to those who reject faith." (Sura 9:3)."

The Sura, a chapter in the Koran, is supposed to be the last 'revelation' by Allah and, by Islamic definition, abrogates previous verses.

Amil Imani, an Iranian-born American who is an essayist, poet, and novelist, contends that terms used to differentiate between two types of Islam are actually dangerous euphemisms. According to his essay "Islam's Useful Idiots,"

"Terms such as 'Political Islam,' or 'Radical Islam,' for instance, are contributions of the Useful Idiot. These terms do not even exist in the native parlance of Islam, simply because they are redundant. Islam, by its very nature and according to its charter—the Quran—is a radical political movement. It is the Useful Idiot who sanitizes Islam and misguides the populace by saying that the 'real Islam' constitutes the main body of the religion; and, that this main body is non-political and moderate.

"Regrettably, a large segment of the population goes along with these nonsensical euphemisms depicting Islam because it prefers to believe them. It is less threatening to believe that only a hijacked small segment of Islam is radical or politically driven and that the main body of Islam is indeed moderate and non-political.

"But Islam is political to the core. In Islam the mosque and state are one and the same—the mosque is the state. This arrangement goes back to the days of Muhammad himself. Islam is also radical in the extreme. Even the 'moderate' Islam is radical in its beliefs as well as its deeds."

Amil Imani's final paragraph is scathing:

"...Beware of the Useful Idiots who live in liberal democracies. Knowingly or unknowingly, they serve as the greatest volunteer and effective soldiers of Islam. They pave the way for the advancement of Islam and they will assuredly be among the very first victims of Islam as soon as it assumes power."

Friday, August 11, 2006

In reference to the term "Islamic fascists," the obligatory whine-o-gram has been issued from CAIR. Excerpt:

"U.S. MUSLIMS CONCERNED ABOUT BUSH'S USE OF 'ISLAMIC FASCISTS' - TOP CAIR: 'Today you equated the religion of peace with the ugliness of fascism'

"(WASHINGTON, D.C., 8/10/06) - A prominent national Islamic civil rights and advocacy group today expressed concern over President Bush's use of the term 'Islamic fascists' in a news conference about the arrest of 21 suspects in a plot to bomb airliners flying between Britain and the United States.

"In a letter to President Bush, Parvez Ahmed, board chairman of the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) wrote in part:

"'American Muslims have consistently condemned all acts of terrorism, whether carried out by individuals, groups or states. We repudiate anyone who plans or carries out a terrorist act. The American Muslim community remains dedicated to the protection of our nation's security. . .'"

The above sounds good, primarily because the West wants to belive that all religions speak to the goodness in man. Nevertheless, the fact remains that CAIR refuses to condemn terrorists or terrorist organizations by specific name. According to this source,

"[A] previous fatwa backed by a large number of American Islamic organizations ambiguously declared; 'Islam strictly condemns religious extremism and the use of violence against innocent lives'[;] this fatwa did not condemn any individuals by name, and did not define who is deemed to be innocent."

As yet, the above specific fatwa has not appeared, and the recent statement by CAIR is just as ambiguous.

Another sound-bite often heard from CAIR's spokesmen on the news states that Islam condemns terrorism. Oh, really? Consider the following, from this source:

Ishaq: 326 "If you come upon them, deal so forcibly as to terrify those who would follow, that they may be warned. Make a severe example of them by terrorizing Allah’s enemies."

Quran 8:12 "I shall terrorize the infidels. So wound their bodies and incapacitate them because they oppose Allah and His Apostle."

Bukhari: V4B52N220 "Allah’s Apostle said, I have been made victorious with terror."

And what about Sura 9, the most recent "revelation" of Allah—a "revelation" which, by Koranic definition, abrogates all previous passages? A few examples:

"....Kill those who join other gods with Allah wherever you find them; besiege them, seize them, lay in wait for them with every kind of ambush...."(Sura 9:5).

"When you encounter the unbelievers, strike off their heads, until ye have made a great slaughter among them...."(Sura 47:4).

"....Make war upon such of those to whom the Scriptures have been given as believe not in Allah, or in the Last Day, and who forbid not what Allah and His Apostle have forbidden....until they pay tribute..." (Sura 9:29).

"Say to the infidels: If they desist, what is now past shall be forgiven them; but if they return, they have already before them the doom of the ancients! Fight then against them till strife be at an end, and the religion be all of it Allah's." (Sura 8:39).

"Proclaim a grievious penalty to those who reject faith." (Sura 9:3)."

When will an interviewer hold CAIR responsible for such obvious taqiyya? How long will these interviewers be allowed to continue knuckling under and nodding their heads in dhimmitude?

The event, called the "Justice for Palestine and Lebanon Protest," but actually a pro-Hizbollah rally, was sponsored by the Muslim American Society, which is based in Falls Church (which should be renamed Falls Mosque). The Muslim American Society is the U.S. front for the Muslim Brotherhood, the ideological forebearers of Al-Qaeda (Ayman al-Zawarhiri was a "brother").

Monday, July 10, 2006

The Axis of Islam in Northern Virginia is defined by Dar Al Hijrah mosque (AKA the 9/11 Mosque) in Falls Church and the All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS) Center mosque in Sterling (it takes two distinct points to define a line or axis, doesn't it?).

The inscription of the Dar Al Hijrah mosque reads "IN THE NAME OF GOD: Say: O people of the Book! come to common terms as between us and you: that we worship none but Allah; that we associate no partners with Him; that we erect not from among ourselves Lords and patrons other than Allah. If then they turn back say: Bear witness that we at least are Muslims bowing to Allah's will." - from SperryFiles.com.

The Muslim Link newspaper reports that Dar Al Hijrah has purchased the fourth house on Row Street with the intent to rent to a member family for revenue.

There is an agreement between the Muslim property owners and the Masjid administration that whenever there is the need to start the construction of the expansion, the owners will sell their properties and donate the money for the expansion project.

The Muslim Link newspaper also reports that ADAMS Center is planning to construct a satellite center in Ashburn to serve 200 Muslim families in that part of Loudon County. The article notes that "ADAMS serves over 5000 families and has 7 branches in Sterling, Herndon, Tyson’s Corner, Fairfax, Reston, Leesburg, Ashburn, and South Riding in Northern Virginia."

Sunday, July 09, 2006

Right now, through July 13, Islam: What the West Needs to Know is playing in Atlanta, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. This web site gives more details.

The film opens with cries of "Allahu Akhbar!" and, after showing various world leaders proclaiming "Islam is a religion of peace," then proceeds to segments with Robert Spencer, Serge Trifkovic, Walid Shoebat, Bat Ye'or, and Abdullah Al-Araby, as each of these individuals addressed various aspects of the Islamic threat which the West today faces.

But the film does not consist merely of talking heads. Maps are included to show that the 1400-year history of Islam has been one of militant expansion, as is film footage of Muslim demonstrations in London and of a particularly strident imam in Baghdad; the latter ends his "sermon" by drawing a sword and calling for jihad against all infidels. For many in the audience, the most disturbing footage was that of children, one only twelve years old, expressing the desire to be martyrs for the cause.

Many quotations from the Koran and the Hadith are incorporated as appropriate to the specific topic under discussion in each of the six portions of the ninety-three minute film. Those interviewed explain that the Medinan verses, the most recent "revelation" of Allah, nullify the earlier, peaceful Meccan verses — a fact which Western leaders don't appear to recognize, perhaps because the Koran itself is not ordered chronologically but rather by length of chapter. In fact, the most recent "revelation" of Allah, "dictated" directly to Muhammad the Prophet by the angel Gabriel, is Sura 9 and is the one chapter of the Koran which doesn't begin with "Allah the Merciful." The instructions in Sura 9 are the most militant and the most violent in the Koran!

I found the portions in which Walid Shoebat spoke especially riveting because he himself was once a terrorist. He explained how, as a teenager, he yearned to be a martyr for Allah and indeed carried out missions. One reason that he was so eager to give his life is that, according to the teachings of Islam, dying while waging the ultimate jihad guarantees the one sure way to eternal life. Mr. Shoebat spoke about how he felt after his first bombing mission in Jerusalem and emotionally related how his conscience troubled him; toward the end of that particular portion, he mentioned that his cousins had died for the cause. "What a waste of life!" he said. Mr. Shoebat managed to hold back the tears. The audience was absolutely still and, I think, stunned.

This film was advertised as a documentary and fulfilled the requirements of that genre. The use of black and white in the poster for the film conveyed the obvious symbolism regarding good and evil, but the word evil was never mentioned during the film. Adding to the effect of the contrast between Westernism and Islamism was the director's use of black and white throughout the film, even though this movie is filmed in color. For example, each on-camera speaker sat in a black leather chair, and as the lighting played upon the back of the chair and upon the interviewees' clothing and, in some cases, eyeglasses, the symbolism could not have been clearer.

Islam: What the West Needs to Know doesn't demonize Islam, but it does uncover the whitewash which political correctness has foisted upon the West. Furthermore, the film explains why recognizing the dangers of Islam itself is of supreme importance for the survival of Western civilization. This film presents the explanation in simple and well-documented terms so that both the uninformed and the informed leave the theater in a somber mood.

Friday, July 07, 2006

Today is the one-year anniversay of the London Bombings. Despite evidence to the contrary, many government officials and some terrorism experts have indicated that the attacks on London were not the work of Al Qaeda.

In "Al-Qaeda, Still in Business," a commentary in the July 2, 2006 edition of the Washington Post, Peter Bergen presents a different analysis. The following is Mr. Bergen's commentary, in its entirety:

Over the past four years, key members of the Bush administration have claimed that al-Qaeda is "on the run" (Donald Rumsfeld and Condoleezza Rice), "disrupted" (George Tenet) or "decimated" (President Bush). At the same time, however, significant terrorist attacks around the world have dramatically increased since Sept. 11, 2001, most of them conducted by militant Islamists. How does one reconcile this apparent contradiction?

A new narrative that purports to answer that question has emerged: Yes, al-Qaeda as an organization is severely impaired, but it has been replaced by a broader ideological movement made up of self-starting, homegrown terrorists who have few formal links to al-Qaeda but are motivated by a doctrine that can be called "Binladenism." Recent examples would include the militants in Madrid who bombed commuter trains in March 2004 and killed 191 people, or the seven terrorist wannabes recently arrested in Miami in connection with an alleged plot to blow up federal buildings. They had embraced al-Qaeda's doctrine of destruction, yet had no ties to the terrorist group.

However, according to five veteran U.S. counterterrorism officials I've spoken with recently, al-Qaeda the organization remains a real threat. One longtime government terrorism analyst points to the four suicide attacks in London last July 7 that killed 52 people as evidence of the organization's resilience. "At a minimum, this was an al-Qaeda-supported operation," the analyst told me. And al-Qaeda's leaders don't seem to be feeling the heat of the "war on terror." On Thursday, Osama bin Laden released his third audiotape in three months, while his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, has appeared on an unprecedented number of videotapes since the second week of June -- averaging one a week.

So while the rapid spread of al-Qaeda's ideology in the past two years -- partly fueled by the Iraq war -- should be of considerable concern, it would be quite wrong to conclude that al-Qaeda the organization is down for the count. Indeed, if the bombings in London are any indication, it may be staging a comeback.

The London attacks of one year ago have generally been portrayed as the work of four young British men of Pakistani and Jamaican descent from the north of England -- distinguished only by their utter ordinariness -- who embraced radical Islamist ideology and managed to carry out the deadliest terrorist attack on British soil in history without outside help. The Sunday Times of London even opined that "the new breed of unaffiliated terrorist is potentially far more dangerous than the IRA or even al Qaeda because he is almost impossible to identify."

But the more you delve into the London bombings, the more they look like a classic al-Qaeda plot. The British government's official account of the attacks -- issued by the Home Office two months ago -- provides a revealing picture. It explains that the presumed ringleader, Mohammed Sidique Khan, visited Pakistan in 2003 and 2004, spending several months there. On one of those trips, he aimed "to cross the border and fight in Afghanistan," the report stated. (Presumably, Khan did not plan to fight alongside U.S. troops in Afghanistan, but rather to join the Taliban or al-Qaeda to kill Americans.)

The report goes on to note that Khan "had some contact with al Qaida figures" in Pakistan, and is "believed to have had some relevant training in a remote part of Pakistan, close to the Afghan border" during his two-week visit in 2003. The British government did not specify what sort of training he received, but given that the London bombs were made of highly efficient explosives that can't be readily made from recipes on the Internet, it is probable that the training was in the manufacturing of bombs. According to the report, Khan was also in "suspicious" contact with individuals in Pakistan in the four months immediately before the London attacks. Taken together, Khan's travels and contacts in Pakistan strongly suggest an al-Qaeda role in the operation.

Khan also appeared on a videotape that aired on al-Jazeera two months after the suicide attacks -- an important fact to which the British report did not give sufficient weight. "I'm going to talk to you in a language that you understand," Khan said on the tape, speaking in the broad brogue of his native Yorkshire. "Our words are dead until we give them life with our blood." He goes on to describe bin Laden and Zawahiri as "today's heroes." Appearing on the same videotape, Zawahiri trumpeted al-Qaeda's responsibility for the London bombings. As a veteran U.S. counterterrorism official told me, "Zawahiri does not take credit for things that he hasn't done."

On the videotape, Zawahiri referenced a prior al-Qaeda threat to explain the targeting of London, saying "Didn't . . . Sheik Osama bin Laden offer you a truce?" -- a reference to the al-Qaeda leader's April 2004 proposal of a peace agreement with those European countries willing to pull out of Iraq. Britain is the most prominent member of that coalition. Bin Laden offered a three-month grace period before the truce expired in July 2004. A year later, the four bombers blew themselves up in London.

But the key piece of evidence overlooked in the British government report is that both Khan and Zawahiri's statements were made on a videotape bearing the distinctive logo of al-Sahab ("the clouds"), which is al-Qaeda's television production arm. Al-Sahab's first tape, a two-hour al-Qaeda infomercial, debuted on the Internet in the summer of 2001, signaling that a major anti-American attack was in the works. Since then, al-Sahab has continued to release key statements from al-Qaeda leaders. Khan's appearance on the videotape strongly suggests that he met up with members of al-Qaeda's media team based on the Afghan-Pakistan border, probably in the tribal area of Waziristan. There is much we still don't know about Khan's activities in Pakistan, but additional information is likely to point toward further contact with members of al-Qaeda in Pakistan.

The rapidly deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan over the past year is also, in part, the responsibility of al-Qaeda. The use of suicide attacks and makeshift bombs and the beheadings of hostages -- all techniques that al-Qaeda perfected in Iraq -- are methods that the Taliban has increasingly adopted in Afghanistan, making much of the south of the country a no-go area.

Hekmat Karzai, an Afghan terrorism researcher at the Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies in Singapore, points out that suicide bombings were rare in Afghanistan until 2005, when 21 such attacks took place. This year has already seen at least 16. In addition, Karzai reports that two of al-Qaeda's "most able" commanders -- Khalid Habib, a Moroccan, and Abd al Hadi, an Iraqi -- have been appointed to run its operations in southeastern and southwestern Afghanistan. These developments suggest that al-Qaeda is regrouping and strengthening along the Afghan-Pakistan border.

And, of course, bin Laden and Zawahiri remain at large in that border region, issuing a stream of tapes aimed at inflaming their supporters around the world. Zawahiri, for example, released a video last week urging further attacks on U.S. and other coalition forces in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, bin Laden's ongoing influence over al-Qaeda's affiliates was confirmed after the death last month of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al-Qaeda's leader in Iraq. Abu Hamza al-Muhajer, al-Qaeda's new leader in Iraq, quickly released a statement on a jihadist Web site pledging allegiance to bin Laden: "We are at your disposal, ready for your command." Muhajer has longstanding ties to Zawahiri; they have both been members of Egypt's ultra-violent Jihad Group for more than two decades. A U.S. intelligence official told me that the intelligence community's recognition of bin Laden and Zawahiri's continued importance to Islamist terrorists worldwide has led to a renewed push in the past two months to locate them.

Almost five years after the attacks on Washington and New York, al-Qaeda not only remains in business in its traditional stronghold on the Afghan-Pakistan border, but continues to project its ideology and terrorism abroad. So now we face a world of ideologically driven homegrown terrorists -- free radicals unattached to any formal organization -- in addition to formal networks such as al-Qaeda that have managed to survive despite the tremendous pressure brought to bear against them since 9/11. And even more grim, they now feed off and strengthen one another.

Peter Bergen is a Schwartz senior fellow at the New America Foundation and author of "The Osama bin Laden I Know: An Oral History of al Qaeda's Leader" (Free Press).

In the long run, it doesn't much matter if what the 7/7 terrorists did to London a year ago was specifically the work of Al Qaeda, although Mr. Bergen makes the case for those attacks having been the proxy work of Bin Laden. "Free radicals" plot and act upon the same ideology. Furthermore, the hordes of "moderate" Muslims have not rushed forward to "take back" their faith. Why is that? This graphic might provide a clue.

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Here is a paragaph sure to get the attention of Northern Virginia residents—except that, to my knowledge, the information hasn't appeared in the local newspapers. From the June 20, 2006 UK Times Online:

"In the Falls Plaza shopping mall, most preferred to chat about their historic city’s latest civic award for its floral displays and not its reputation as the jihad capital of America."

Morefrom the UK Times on Line article "British Agents Trace 7/7 Terror Links to Smalltown America":

"BRITISH agents are operating in the United States to trace links with Islamic extremists from England who recruit Muslims to fight for terrorist groups abroad.

"The British-led investigation has played a part in identifying a number of US-based terrorists and helped the authorities in Washington to break up an al-Qaeda cell operating in Falls Church, Virginia.

"The agents are particularly keen to discover if the visitors included Mohammad Sidique Khan, leader of the July 7 suicide bombers, who is alleged to have travelled to America’s East Coast to meet fellow militants and stage a series of attacks on synagogues."

The article provides details about U.S.-born teacher and founder of the Falls Church Dar alArqam Center for Islamic Information Ali al-Tamimi. In January 2006, he was sentenced to life plus seventy years without possibility of parole for his role in attempting to recruit followers to go to Afghanistan to fight U.S. Forces.

The convictions go beyond that of al-Tamimi. A particular group of individuals known as "The Virginia Eleven" regularly attended the the Dar alArqam Center in Falls Church and have also been convicted of terrorism charges. A twelfth attendee of the center, Ahmed Abu Ali, member of Al-Qaeda, is serving a penitentiary term for plotting to assassinate President Bush.

Asi Asad Chandia, the most recently convicted of "The Virginia Eleven," was a teacher and personal assistant to al-Timimi. In addition, evidence appears to show that Asi Asad Chandia once worked as chauffeur to Mohammad Sidique Khan, leader of the 7/7 London bombers.

In the article, much is made of the fact that the Dar alArqam Center was a break-away from the Dar al-Hijrah Center, which we locals call "the Falls Church mosque." Sheikh Anwar al-Awlaki, the former imam of that mosque, served as spiritual mentor to two of the 9/11 hijackers; he never faced any charges and is now in Yemen. The following is his comment about The Virginia Eleven:

"'They made inappropriate and irreponsible comments,' the imam said. 'Some did go to training camps but none fired a shot in anger, and once they were in places like Pakistan and Afghanistan and saw what it was really like, they soon had a change of heart and came home. They are guilty of thought crimes.'"

No word as to whether or not they might have fired a shot as participant in the highest jihad—killing infidels in the name of Allah.

Knowing that an al-Qaeda cell local to me has been broken up is comforting. But the UK Times Online article also contains the following statement:

"After al-Tamimi’s conviction, what was left of his group abandoned the Dar al-Arqam centre, which no longer has any links with fundamentalist groups. FBI sources say they are unsure what has happened to some of his followers."

The article concludes with the following:

Among the measures suggested by the task force which have yet to be taken up:

A public inquiry into 7/7 bombings

Rapid rebuttal unit to combat Islamophobia

National resource unit for development of curricula in mosques and madrassas, and guidelines for teachers

Programmes to “upskill” current imams

Muslim “beacon centres” to help small mosques and cultural centres

Set up and fund network of Muslim safety forums to promote meaningful partnership between community and police

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

"Last week, military brass -- along with representatives from the terror-tied Council on American-Islamic Relations -- dedicated the first Muslim prayer center for the Marines as a symbol of the military's 'religious tolerance' and 'respect' for the faith the enemy uses to attack us. Already, plans are in the works to build by 2009 a bigger mosque at the Marine base in Quantico so Muslim service members can have a 'proper place' to worship, and one that 'honors their religious heritage,' officials say, not realizing that the mosque can also be used by the enemy to build a Fifth Column inside the Marines.

"The idea for the center came from Navy Lt. Abuhena Mohammed Saifulislam, a young, smooth-talking Muslim chaplain, who wanted a permanent place of worship -- and 'education' -- for the growing number of soldiers who are interested in -- and converting to -- Islam.

"Quantico has only 24 Muslims on base..."

Twenty-four Muslims justifies having an Islamic prayer center on the Marine base? And there is already a mosque not too far away from Quantico--in Springfield, I think.

And who is the imam at the new center on the Marine base? His name is Navy Lt. Abuhena Mohammed Saifulislam. From the aforementioned article, a bit of background on Saifulislam:

"Saifulislam is clean-cut with a Colgate smile. The Pentagon gives him great latitude because he claims to be moderate.

"However, Saifulislam studied Islam at a hardline Wahhabi school in Virginia that was raided by federal authorities after 9-11. And one of his mentors is Taha Jaber Al-Alwani, an unindicted co-conspirator in the Sami al-Arian terror case. Federal court records allege he gave at least $50,000 in jihad money 'to support suicide bombings' in Israel.

"Saifulislam, born in Bangladesh, insists he is only a Sunni Muslim and does not adhere to the faith's more orthodox and militant Wahhabi sect practiced by Osama bin Laden and his ilk. Still, his pro-jihad academic background should raise flags at the Pentagon."

The article concludes with the following:

"Several military officers chose to sit out the Quantico ceremony than hear deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England mouth 'salaams' to the Muslims in attendance. They think the mosque is misplaced, and don't trust its imam.

"'I have great concern about this young Muslim chaplain,' said Lt. Comm. Gary P. Stewart, also a Navy chaplain. 'I don't trust him.'

"The Pentagon's over-the-top gesture is only the latest sign that political correctness is running amok inside the military. Chief chaplains for the Navy, Army and Air Force routinely meet with top leaders from the Islamic Society of North America for PC powwows, even though ISNA is a Saudi-backed group with ties to terrorists. No matter, the Pentagon distributes ISNA literature on Islam and Muslims to help increase troops' 'sensitivity' toward Islam.

"The first principle of war is knowing your enemy and what motivates him. The PC-addled Pentagon seems to have forgotten that rule."

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

"ALEXANDRIA, Virginia - A third-grade teacher at a Muslim school in Maryland traveled to Pakistan shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks, trained with a terrorist organization there and later served as chauffeur for one of that group’s leaders during his US travels, prosecutors said.

"Prosecutors and defense lawyers made their closing arguments Monday in the trial of Ali Asad Chandia, 29, who is charged with providing material support to Lashkar-e-Taiba, an organization that supports Muslim control of the Kashmir territory on the India-Pakistan border. The US government declared Lashkar a terrorist organization in December 2001.

"Prosecutors have said that Lashkar served as a potential gateway for Americans and others who wanted to join the Taleban in neighboring Afghanistan in its fight against US troops in late 2001.

"The charges against Chandia stem from a government investigation of what prosecutors called a 'Virginia jihad network,' a group of young Muslim men who used paintball games in 2000 and 2001 as paramilitary training for holy war around the globe. Ten people have been convicted in that investigation, including the group’s spiritual leader, Ali al-Timimi, who was sentenced to life in prison for soliciting treason and urging group members to fight US troops in Afghanistan...